Variations of TOS Computers

Introduction

Back in the 60's and early 70's the thought of having a
portable desk-top computer was unthinkable. This made the computer props from
Star Trek so intriguing and just plain cool. During the run of the original
series there were several varieties of computer props that were used. There were
many different models; the first appearing on-screen beginning in the very first
filmed episode (and fittingly also in the very last episode).

Here we will
document these props and their evolution during the run of the series.
There were at least 7 different varieties of the computer props, 5 of which are
investigated in detail in the following. For the
purposes of this article we will label them "type 1", "type
2", etc. with variations of each type as "alpha",
"beta", etc. depending on when they first appeared on screen (in
filming order, not the order the episodes were aired on TV).

Type
1 Computer

The first appearance of the type 1 computer with its
characteristic console shape was in the
briefing room scene during "The Corbomite Maneuver". This is probably
the prop that got the most screen time because it was incorporated into the
briefing room table. It is visible nearly every time a scene was filmed in the
briefing room mostly because Spock generally operated it. There appears to have
been only one type 1 computer made and it was a hero model (even though most of
the time it is on-screen it is unlit). The type 1 is a blue-grey console with
two large black back-lit panels. It has 5 toggle switches down the right side (4
red and one white in the center) and 4 colored rocker switches adjacent to them
on the left (white, blue, yellow & red from left to right) near the bottom
right side of the console. The five toggles each actually control one of 5
lights that illuminated the back-lit panels (3 on the upper portion and 2 on the
lower portion).

The type 1 saw virtually no modifications or changes
during the entire run of the series. The first time we see a portion of it
lighted was a scene from "Mudd's Women" when the bottom right section
was lit. The first appearance of it fully lighted was the briefing room scene
from "The Man Trap." In the episode "Court Martial" we see
it in two different locations; in the briefing room and also in Kirks quarters
on the star base. This is the ONLY time we see this unit outside of the briefing
room. It got the most screen-time in all of its glory during the second season
episode "Wolf in the Fold" where we get a close-up view of it
completely lit up and in different configurations. Even though the type 1
computer appears slim it actually extends pretty far below the table top. This
was to accommodate the lights in the lower panel. The top apparently could be
removed (without the bulky lower section that appears to be connected to the briefing
room table) and the upper bank of lights would function fine. The bulky bottom
appears to be to accommodate the lights the illuminated the lower thin part.

Type
2 Computer

The type 2 computer prop made its first appearance in the
episode "Miri." This episode required a need to show that there were
portable computing units and other instrumentation that could be transported
down to the surface so this prop (along with a few others) was created to
fulfill the need for that episode. It went on to appear in many episodes in all
three seasons. There appears to be only one unit made which was a hero model.

The type 2 computer prop is a blue-grey unit with an
angled front and flat top. It has a black face with 10 buttons and 10
corresponding red lights on the angled part. The buttons are labeled from 0 to 9
from left to right. Each button depressed activates the corresponding red light
above it. The top of this unit changed in the first season. Also on the top of
this unit are two buttons and five lights; a grouping of 4 small lights and one
bigger light to the right side. In the earliest episodes the bigger light on the
right appears to be a simple hemisphere but it was transformed into a real light by
the end of the first season. The button to the left is the same style button that
we see on the captain's chair and at each of the intercom stations. It is a
large white button with a black bezel. The button activates four lights on the
top that have a rotating chaser pattern. The lights are red, yellow, green, and
white. The other button is a small red button similar to the ones on the bottom
of the type 4b computer prop (we will get into that later). This button
activated a larger single flashing light on the right side of the top. Seen most
notably in the episode "Operation - Annihilate!" when Kirk realizes
that it's light that the creatures can't handle.

The only other feature on the top is a tape slot on the
right side. This usually had a red or yellow data tape in it. During the season
2 episode "The
Omega Glory" we see McCoy put in a green tape. I believe this to be
the only time we see the tape slot used.

There is a curious rectangular hole on the right side end
of this prop. Apparently the function is for Petri dishes to be slid into this
area for analysis but is also used as data tape storage but this function is
only seen in the one episode "Paradise Syndrome". We see the prop in a few
more third season episodes and it actually makes its last appearance in the
final episode "Turnabout Intruder".

In April 1977, in the Star Trek Poster Book (if you are
old enough to remember), there appeared an article entitled "The Medical
Technology of Star Trek" written by Geoffrey Mandel where he refers to this
computer as the "Cats Brain" computer. The "Cats Brain"
moniker for the thing referred to by both McCoy and Kirk in dialog as a "biocomputer"
can be originally attributed to Mr. James Blish who adapted "Miri"
into a short story for the first novelization of Star Trek episodes
(first published back in January, 1967). In the novelization, at McCoy's request
that they get a computer down to the planet to help him with isolating and
identifying the disease, Kirk instructs Lieutenant Farrell:

"Ship us down the biggest portable bio-computer--the cat-brain job."

The type 2 computer appeared in the following episodes:

12 "Miri"

21 "Tomorrow is Yesterday"

26 "Devil in the Dark" (in the mining office)

29 "Operation - Annihilate!"

37 "The Changeling"

40 "The Deadly Years"

42 "The Trouble with Tribbles"

44 "The Immunity Syndrome"

47 "Obsession"

50 "By Any Other Name"

51 "Return to Tomorrow"

54 "The Omega Glory"

58 "The Paradise Syndrome"

57 "Elaan of Troyius"

64 "The Tholian Web"

68 "Wink of an Eye"

79 "Turnabout Intruder"

Type
3 Computer

Moving on to the type 3 units. Now things get a little
interesting! The type 3 computer was a flat-topped triangular shaped grey unit
that had identical controls on each angled side (with the exception of the
toggles which were yellow on one side and black on the opposite side). Most
likely there were two of these units. One appears to be a hero model and the
other appears to be static. The control configuration on each side consists of a
single raised panel with 6 staggered black buttons with silver bezels. Each of
these buttons activates a light in a long frosted segmented red and green band
above (separated by a narrow yellow band). On the right hand side there are two
toggles and on the left side there is a large yellow light. This unit is
interesting because the top was able to be modified to different configurations,
something we have not yet seen in our analysis of these computer props.

The first appearance of this prop is in the episode
"The Conscience of the King" during the rec room scene when Uhura (while
playing the Vulcan harp no less) is singing to Riley down in the engine room. In
this configuration the prop has a long frosted rectangular section on top with
six lights inside on each side (for a total of 12 lights divided by spacers).
The edges of the frosted section were outlined in black. In addition on the top
there is a long multi-colored segmented panel (3 rows of 21 sections) that ties
into a clear round acrylic rod on each side. The acrylic rod is connected to the
top of the computer by a narrower rod on each side. Two of these computers props
appear together in the same configuration (we will call this configuration
"A") in the "The Alternative Factor".

The next appearance of the type 3 prop is in the episode
"A Taste of Armageddon." Here we see both the presumed static and the
hero props together in what we will call configuration "B." In this
configuration the top parts have been removed and have been change to a
triangular shaped frosted lens that covered the lights on top and extends over
the holes where the acrylic rods were installed on configuration "A."
Throughout this episode in the council chambers we see them side-by-side but
only with one lighted at a time; which we can assume that the unlit unit is
static. At one point it appears that they changed them around so that the
opposite unit is lit but we never see both lighted at the same time.

The second season debut of the type 3 (hero model) back to
its original configuration ("A") is during "Who Mourns for
Adonais" when it is seen on the bridge next to the helm station.

In
"Amok Time" we see it in the same configuration but unlit. Also in one
scene the red and green frosted area is black. There appears to be black tape
installed prior to filming most likely to dampen glare from one of the over-head
lights. Again the hero in configuration "A" is observed in the
back-ground in the episode "Trouble with Tribbles."

The next variation
(configuration "C") is seen in "The Immunity Syndrome" in
Kirk's quarters. Configuration "C" is the same as "A" except
the segmented panel and acrylic rods have been removed. A silver plug apparently
was inserted into the hole where the rod was attached. The prop is getting a
little beat-up by this time as you can see the paint is chipped on the edges.

Finally we see two configurations in a single episode. In
"By Any Other Name" we see both configuration "A" in the rec
room with Spock and Rojan are playing chess and during the fight scene (it
appears unlit in both; can we assume this is the static version?). It appears in
configuration "B" in Kirks quarters. This may be the static version
from "A Taste of Armageddon" which would have required no change since
that episode.

It makes its first appearance in the third season in
"And the Children Shall Lead" where we see configuration "A"
in the background: unlighted. The next appearance is of the hero version in the
same configuration "A" in "Day of the Dove" where the
Klingons bring up the diagram of the ship. The last time we see this prop is in
"Wink of an Eye" in Kirk's quarters also in configuration
"A." I suspect that there were only 2 type 3 computers; a hero and a
static version and the tops were changed to the "B" configuration (or
"C") when needed. There is no way of knowing for certain.

The type 3 computer appears in these episodes:

13 "The Conscience of the King"

20 "The Alternative Factor"

23 "A Taste of Armageddon"

27 "Errand of Mercy"

33 "Who Mourns for Adonais?"

34 "Amok Time"

42 "The Trouble with Tribbles"

48 "The Immunity Syndrome"

50 "By Any Other Name"

53 "The Ultimate Computer"

54 "The Omega Glory"

60 "And the Children Shall Lead"

66 "Day of the Dove"

68 "Wink of an Eye"

Type
4A Computer

Now the
fun begins! Finally we get to the type 4 computer; by far my favorite style
and the reason I started looking into these props as a whole to begin with.
Where to start? The beginning I guess! This will be a long subject and there
are two basic varieties of the type 4 with several props of each type made so it
will be broken down into two groups: type 4A and 4B and then sub-groups of each.
This section will be about the type 4A.

The type 4A computer first appeared in the episode
"The Galileo Seven". As you may know I am a huge fan of this episode
(check out the SS shuttlecraft I am building). The type 4A computer is first
seen as part of the shuttlecraft interior instrumentation. They are mounted on
the wall of the craft and first seen as the camera passes Phyllis Douglas as
Yeoman Mears ("It's getting hot" for sure! Did you know she also
played a hippy chick in "Way to Eden"? But I digress). There were
three type 4A computers made; all heroes and all three appear in this episode
(and 4A gamma gets a great close-up). I know that the AMT corporation built the
shuttlecraft interior so did they also build these props? I've always wondered.
These were by far the most versatile of the computer props always appearing
everywhere throughout the rest of the series. The type 4 is a silver grey
rectangular box with an angled front which is where the controls are located.
The front angled section is composed of a grouping of 21 lights near the top and
a single row of 5 lights below. On the left there are 4 toggles and also on the
face there are two curious holes which supposition suggest were for possible
mounting screws. Also we can see six screws that appear to mount the face to the
body. The shells appear to be made from plywood but it appears from the texture visible
in certain views of the face that these may have been made from
masonite. All three were the same with the exception of the colors of the lights
and toggle switches.

Type 4A alpha

As mentioned earlier there were three of these props; each
easily identifiable because each had a unique color pattern to the lights and
many appearing together in the same episodes. The first we will look at we will
call type 4A alpha. As already mentioned it can be first seen in
"The Galileo Seven". This is the unit installed towards the front in the
shuttlecraft (in the first season later to be replaced in that position by 4A beta).

4A alpha made its second season debut in the episode "The Changeling" as
part of the auxiliary control room. It is mounted to a wall panel where the poor
guy who is watching Nomad is working while he is suppose to be keeping an eye on
the robot; oh well, that didn't work out! Obviously the sets had openings where
they could insert anyone of these computers into the wall because later we see
4A beta in this same location, which is precisely what happened in the shuttlecraft
interior also. Next time we see 4A alpha it has been installed in the emergency
manual monitor (or whatever they call that place that's above engineering) in
the episode "Mirror, Mirror" where it is installed upside down. I've
often wondered if that was done intentionally to let us know that things are all
messed-up and turned around. Maybe I'm reading too much into it! It appears at
the same location for "The Immunity Syndrome" but they have flipped it
over so it's right-side up now.

We don't see Alpha again until "The Lights of
Zetar" when we get a good look at it again in the emergency manual monitor
as Lt. Romaine leans up against it. The lower unit is type 6.
This is the last time we see 4A alpha in the
series.

Type 4A beta

The type
4A beta as mentioned before is the same basic configuration of all type 4A props; just
with different color lights. It too was first seen in "The Galileo
Seven" as the second computer behind 4A alpha where Scotty sat behind Yeoman
Mears.

It held the same position in the episode "The Menagerie,
Part I" during the shuttlecraft scene. Also as previously mentioned with 4A
alpha, 4A beta too appeared in the computer section of the star base in the first part of
"The Menagerie." It was installed at the bottom section of a type 7
unit and can be seen when Spock fights the first guy.

As with 4A alpha, 4A beta was also a part of the Eminiar VII war computer complex but had a much more
prominent position. It was mounted at the bottom of a type 7 unit at the center
as you entered the room.

The first second season appearance of 4A beta is in the
episode "Metamorphosis" in the shuttlecraft at the front position
previously where 4A alpha was. It also maintains this position during its
appearance in my favorite episode "The Doomsday Machine" although in
both episodes we only see a glance of it. It has also replaced 4A alpha in the
auxiliary control room in the episode "I, Mudd" where it is mounted to
the wall. Here we see there has been some lettering added to the front panel but
we can't make out the wording here. It is seen in this same position in "By
Any Other Name."

We don't see 4A beta again until the third season episode
"And the Children Shall Lead." Here again it's in the auxiliary
control room and we get a close enough view to read the lettering that was
installed in the second season.

The final series appearance of 4A beta was again in
the auxiliary control room scene from "The Way to Eden." Notice
Phyllis Douglas as a hippy chick. I think I like her better in Galileo Seven!
"Heading out to Eden, yeah, brother!"

Type 4A gamma

The
third type 4A we will call 4A gamma. This one with the other two type 4As made its
first appearance in the episode "The Galileo Seven." We only see a
quick view of it at the doorway as the camera is looking out as Spock and the
boys attend the last funeral. 4A gamma has a glorious close-up at the at the climax
when Spock jettisons the fuel and ignites it: that's 4A gamma. In the close-up we
can make out the lettering on a portion of the prop (which was added for this close-up since clearly there is no labeling on the unit in the funeral scene).

Later in the series we can
see more. The next time we see 4A gamma is in the episode "The Alternative
Factor" when it's part of a type 7 computer in the engineering area where
they have the dilithium crystals. You can see it installed in the bottom of the
type 7 when Lazarus overtakes the technician. As with the other two type 4As
we see Gamma in the war room of Eminiar VII from "A Taste of
Armageddon."

After its visit to Eminiar VII, 4A gamma had a minor
modification. It appears that several of the resin lights fell off by the time
it appears in "Operation - Annihilate!". Three lights have now been changed - the
green one at the upper right corner which was replaced with a bigger differently
shaped red/orange
part. The two other lights are the first two on the left hand of the bottom row
controlled by the toggle switches. The
far left light has been changed from blue to red and the one next to it on the right
(the famous "Fuel Jettison" light from "The Galileo Seven") was changed from red to pink/purple. The new part in the upper bank was a
different size and shape from the original ones but remained on 4A gamma throughout the rest of the series. It was next seen in the last episode of the first
season "Operation - Annihilate!" It has now been mounted onto the test
chamber that they had the brain cell creature in trying to destroy it. Also the
multi-colored top from a type 3 in "A"
configuration was added to the top in this episode only. 4A gamma
remained mounted here the rest of the series but with some minor modifications.
Also, sometime prior to this episode the label "Fuel Jettison" was
removed from the number 3 toggle on 4A gamma and left blank. All other labels
remained for the rest of the series.

While the test stand continued to have
different parts added to it; 4A gamma itself remained unchanged during the second
season. It can be seen almost in every scene filmed in McCoy's lab but also made
an appearance down on Omega IV during "The Omega Glory." Other than
that episode it seems to be confined to the Enterprise medical lab.

4A gamma makes its final screen appearance in the
final episode of the series "Turnabout Intruder" again in the lab. The
final appearance of 4A gamma is a solitary shot of it standing alone in the lab.

16 "The Menagerie, Part I" (alpha, beta, alone and as part of a type 7)

20 "The Alternative Factor" (beta, gamma, both as part of a type 7)

23 "A Taste of Armageddon" (alpha, beta, gamma, all as part of a type 7)

29 "Operation - Annihilate!" (gamma)

31 "Metamorphosis" (beta)

35 "The Doomsday Machine" (beta)

37 "The Changeling" (alpha)

39 "Mirror, Mirror" (alpha)

41 "I, Mudd" (beta)

44 "The Immunity Syndrome" (alpha, gamma)

47 "Obsession" (gamma)

50 "By Any Other Name" (alpha, gamma)

51 "Return to Tomorrow" (gamma)

54 "The Omega Glory" (gamma)

57 "Elaan of Troyius" (gamma)

60 "And the Children Shall Lead" (beta)

68 "Wink of an Eye" (gamma)

73 "The Lights of Zetar" (alpha, gamma)

75 "The Way to Eden" (beta)

79 "Turnabout Intruder" (gamma)

Type
4B Computer

Now we get to the mysterious 4B. Why mysterious you asked?
Well I'll tell you (in a bit). First, what's the difference between the 4A &
4B? The 4B is very similar to the 4A but with some interesting changes. These
are differences between them:

The 4 left hand side toggles have been replaced with knobs.

The top bank of lights is 6 wide (instead of 7 on the
4A) for a total of 18 lights (instead of 21 on the 4A) and there has been a long
rectangular red/orange light added to the left of the upper bank of lights.

A base has been added that extends past the edges on
the sides and front. On the front edge there are 7 push button style switches
and also a slot for a data tape.

It appears that there were two type 4B computers; both
appear to be hero models. The five push buttons on the right of the tape slot
each operate one of the five lights in the lower bank (which is identical to the
4A configuration) and are black surrounded by a silver bezel. The two push
buttons switches on the left of the tape slot both are red with a silver bezel.
One of these push buttons operates the large red rectangular light. The four
knobs on the left are all 4 black with a small white arrow on the surface of
each.

Type 4B alpha

The 4B
alpha made its first appearance in the episode
"Court Martial." And here is the first mystery. We see it in two
different sets; one in Commodore Stone's office and the other in the hearing
room.

The Commodore Stone version is completely painted a light creamy grey
including the base. The trial version is a silver-grey front with the body and
base a dark grey. So, these must be two different type 4Bs in this episode:
right? Well, not so fast. Both of these two computers have the exact same light
colors on every light. Did they make two identical units? Past analysis of most
of the TOS props suggests that there was no set pattern to the colors; they
appear to have been randomly installed. So why would these two be identical?
More likely the unit was painted after the appearance in Commodore Stone's office
to appear to be a different unit. If there were two units we never see the Stone
version again.

We see Alpha again
in "A Taste of Armageddon" sitting on top of a type 7 unit. The alpha
unit appears unchanged from its previous appearance. You can still see the lettering in some
shots. Here is the beginning of the second mystery of the 4B.
At the end of episode Kirk blows up the room. The last time we see 4B alpha in this
episode it appears to be in flames but did it survive? Apparently so because it
appears in the very next episode "Space Seed".

The appearance in "Space Seed" is however, the
last time we see 4B alpha the rest of the entire series: it is never used again in
any show. There is some stock footage used in the episode "The Deadly
Years" of a close-up of 4B alpha but it is clearly not the computer sitting in
the room in the long shots. What happened to 4B alpha? The mystery of the 4B!

These 4B units appear to be possible modified 4As. If the
AMT corporation supplied the shuttlecraft interior electronic props (they DID
supply the shuttlecraft interior, but not sure about the set dressings) it's
possible that they supplied a few extra units and one or two of them were
modified into the 4B configuration. If Desilu made these it's possible that four
or five were made in the original 4A style and some modified to the 4B
configuration. This is speculation of course but the way the long rectangular light
lines up with the missing line of lights on the upper bank is interesting.
It makes me think that the long light was added later in an effort to convert
some of the existing props to appear different without too much trouble. If not
why make a prop so similar to an existing model?

Type 4B beta

The type
4B Beta is the last of the type 4 props we see. What is interesting about this
prop is it is the only appearance of this type for the rest of series. Why did
we never see 4B alpha again? Was it re-built into 4B beta? Did it disappear
(like Shatner's hair piece) after the first season? We will never know these
answers. What we do know is that 4B alpha appeared exclusively in the first season
and 4B beta in the second and third. 4B beta had a few minor changes from its cousin
4B alpha. Namely the black knobs with the arrows of the alpha prop have been replaced with
multi-colored knobs on beta. Also as we have seen with nearly every other prop
in TOS the lights are all different colors. There appears to have been only one
4B beta that's right! Apparently only one model was made. This is seemingly
impossible since we mostly think of this prop when considering the TOS PCs. For
some reason this is the one that comes to mind when thinking about any of these
type 4 props.

The first appearance of 4B beta is in the
episode "Wolf in the Fold" and it makes a grand entrance! We get to
see several close-ups of the prop and we immediately see the changes from 4B alpha.
We can see that the knobs on the left side have been changed. Now the knobs have
a tiered shape and have differing colors: darker blue-grey, brown, lighter blue-grey and
red from top to bottom. Other than that and the differing colored
lights 4B beta appears identical to alpha. Was alpha damaged and beta made as a
replacement? Was there more damage from "A Taste of Armageddon" than
we can see? In any event it appears that both have the same base; whether it's
the same or another one is up for conjecture.

We see 4B beta again very soon in the episode "Mirror,
Mirror" where it pulls double duty. It is the same prop in both Kirks
quarters and in the alternative Spock's quarters. We get some great shots of it
from both quarters.

Beta makes its next appearance in "The Deadly
Years" when they are trying to relieve Kirk of command. As mentioned before
in all of the long shots we can clearly see 4B beta but in the close-up it's 4B
alpha.
This is an aberration; simply some stock footage of the type 4B alpha inserted
into the scene. Alpha is not in the room here.

We see 4B beta again in the science
lab in the episode "The Trouble with Tribbles" and also in the
background of Spock's quarters in "Journey to Babel." Both are
basically background set pieces that are not significant to the scene.

Next 4B beta has a starring role in "The Omega
Glory" as a part of McCoy's medical equipment. We get to really see it when
Spock tries to contact the ship through it and Captain Tracy phasers it before
he can make contact. Don't worry, it appears again but this is the last time we
see it in season 2.

It has a wonderful close-up in
"Lights of Zetar" in the briefing room as they realize that Lt.
Romaine's brain waves are identical to the aliens'. The last time we get to see
4B beta is in the episode "The Way to Eden" as Spock is trying to find
the planet. Here in Spock's quarters we can see that there has been some
lettering added to Beta but we can't read it and will never get the chance later.
Of all of the type 4 computers that are in TOS it's 4B beta that we usually think of when
considering these props.

Just a note. The color of the lights can look different in
certain episodes due to lighting and film processing.

The type 4B appears in the
following episodes:

15 "Court Martial" (alpha)

16 "The Menagerie" (alpha)

23 "A Taste of Armageddon" (alpha)

24 "Space Seed" (alpha)

36 "Wolf in the Fold" (beta)

39 "Mirror, Mirror" (beta)

44 "Journey to Babel" (beta)

54 "The Omega Glory" (beta)

59 "The Enterprise Incident" (beta)

68 "Wink of an Eye" (beta)

73 "The Lights of Zetar" (beta)

75 "The Way to Eden" (beta)

Type
5 Computer

There were two type 5 computers made and like
the type 4A models they made their first appearance in the episode "The
Galileo Seven" as part of the interior wall mounted controls of the
shuttlecraft. Both are "hero" models. These computers are smaller then
the type 4A and are flat grey rectangular units with 21 staggered lights and
four switches mounted under the lights in a side to side configuration (as
opposed to the up & down configuration on the type 4A units). There are two
of the familiar mounting tubes on the face on each side of the switch bank and
also 4 screws that connect the face to the body. Each unit measures (by
extrapolation) approximately 12" long and 7.25" high. They are
identifiable by the colored lights which are unique to each unit and by the
switch colors which also are exclusive to each unit. They also only appear to be
wall mounted units; never seen free-standing.

These are first seen as the camera
pans through the shuttlecraft and are adjacent to the character Gaetano's
station. The units are in a stacked configuration in the shuttlecraft. We will
call the top unit "5 alpha" and the bottom unit "5 beta."

Like the previous Type 4A model the Type 5
units also appear several times in the episode "The Menagerie, Part I" as part of the shuttlecraft interior as seen previously (they can be seen as
Kirk goes to the back to check the atmosphere status). Both units also appear in
the computer center at the star base (but just a glance of 5 beta).

We
see 5 alpha and beta in the episode "The Alternative
Factor" as part of the instrumentation in the engineering section where the
dilithium crystals were. These units were pretty versatile and non-descript so
that they could be added as set-dressing and kind of blend into the background
whenever a few switches and lights were needed. This is evident in the episode "The Return of the Archons" when both
5 alpha and beta are part of the absorption chamber console.

The first appearance of a type 5 in season two is in
the episode "The Changeling" in the auxiliary control room. We see 5
beta mounted behind the screen on a section of the old engineering
section from the season 1 engineering room. Funny that it's not there a few
episodes earlier in "The Doomsday Machine." Just another example of
how they continually tweaked the sets by adding set dressings and other
greeblies as the series went on. We see 5 beta again on the far side
of the emergency manual monitor room. Scotty goes over and opens an access panel
right below the unit in the episode "Mirror Mirror." We see 5 beta again in the same position in "I Mudd" when Norman is
taking over the ship.

A few episodes later type 5 beta appears in two
separate locations in the same episode. In "The Immunity Syndrome" it
is in its familiar position in the emergency manual monitor but also it is
aboard the shuttlecraft as part of a type 7 computer.

In the third season we see
what appears to be the elusive type 5 alpha in the position previously held
by beta in the auxiliary control room in the episode "And the
Children Shall Lead." The first change to one of the units appears in
"The Lights of Zetar" where the 5 alpha unit is painted
black in its first appearance at beta's previous position in the
emergency manual monitor.

We see beta a few episodes later in
"The Way to Eden" again in the auxiliary control room (where 5 alpha was seen just a few episodes previously). I believe this is
the last appearance of the type 5 units. Strange how they moved the units around
when ever they needed them and just stuck any unit in the hole. Especially since
mostly these units appeared in only two different locations. Two units, two locations; why
not just leave them in place? It's also funny how 5 beta seemed to be
used much more then its counterpart.

Type
6 Computer

Type 6 is a wall-mounted device that we customarily
see in the emergency manual monitor in the upper level of engineering, together
with a 4A alpha unit. The type 6 units changed after the first
season.

Type
7 Computer

Type 7 refers to the big floor-mounted
consoles as they appear in various places, prominently on Starbase 11 in
"The Menagerie, Part I" and in the war room of Eminiar VII in "A
Taste of Armageddon". There are as many as 7 different units with a unique screen history
that will be described in a future write-up.